Star Gazers
by Aestivate
Summary: Something's wrong. And it involves the living. What if all of your fears about holding onto people are confirmed? What if you have to let them go? And possibly... watch them die? Read & Review!
1. Sakura and the Fleeting Dream

Disclaimer:

Shes Bad Writer: Of course, I own Cardcaptor Sakura and Clamp looks up to me…

Arandom Guy: sarcasm… Not a very good disclaimer, considering you own squat.

Shes Bad Writer: I so own something. Look! My own grain of rice!

Arandom Guy: …good job.

_**Star – Gazers**_

"Who are you?"

It is nighttime in Tokyo, Japan. The air rustles through the cracks in between the dense buildings. A girl and boy are hanging off the top of the Tokyo Tower, both on the two alternate sides.

The girl is dressed in white, with a long cloak completely covering her down to her calf. She wears a white cap, with a pink sort of outlining on the edge of the hat. She wears white cloth boots, which at close glance; you can tell that they were handmade. It is dark out, though her expression is very distinguishable.

The moon swells and shines brighter. The green in the girl's eyes darken. Her uneven hair sways and moves with the wind. Her hair is kept short, because the need for free moment was very important. One of the girl's arms is used to hold onto the tower, along with her feet which are slid in the grooves. The other is holding a short pink staff ending in a ring with a yellow star in the center of the round ring. Two small wings are attached to the sides of the ring.

Besides the girl, on the other side of the tower, is a tallish boy with dark hair and serious amber eyes. He is dressed in a familiar set of emerald green robes, though the style of them is more Chinese than Japanese. A closer look at a boy, and you will find that he is Chinese, rather than the obvious Japanese style that is accustomed to Japan. His uniform is made of a very light silk, which is flexible and very easy to move around in. Like the girl, one arm is holding onto the tower while the other is holding onto something. The something is a long and prideful sword.

Across from the pair on a high terrace is another person, with long and very wavy hair. The wind picks up the right moment to weave through it. Her eyes are dark and shadowed, and her features are blurred and undistinguishable, unlike the two on the tower. This girl also has a staff, which glimmers eerily once in the moonlight. It is longer than the girl, because it reaches from about level with the ground to maybe two feet about her head. The staff ends in an oddly designed crescent.

The girl and boy on the tower look across at the person on the terrace. They tense and clench the tower tighter. A rather high Japanese voice, belonging to the female on the tower, begins to speak. "Who are you?" She says again.

The sound that is issued…

RRRRRRING!

"Sakura! Get up! Don't forget, you have home economics today! You're making pastries, remember?"

Kinomoto Sakura lifted herself off of bed and rubbed her eyes. Was it morning already? It seemed like she had just fallen asleep a few minutes ago. Nevertheless, the clock read 6:30 am. The ringing continued, and Sakura realized that she hadn't turned her alarm clock yet, and then quickly snapped the alarm off. She rubbed her eyes, and yawned.

"Good morning, Kero-chan," Sakura smiled.

"Get up! You're going to be late," Kero, the small winged bear-like figure that had waken Sakura up paused and fluttered over to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, it's just that I'm a little tired. I did have to wake up earlier today, remember? We have Home Economics, like you just said, and I have board duty today," Sakura hoisted herself off of bed and slowly changed her clothes.

"Need help?" Kero asked.

Sakura looked over to her desk and something caught her eye. "Oh!" She exclaimed. Suddenly her heart leapt and Sakura felt a sense of longing. It was a goodbye present from Li Syaoran, the most important person to Sakura. She had received it from him after he had left with Li Meiling, his cousin, back to Hong Kong, China, where they both lived. Sakura missed them terribly, as Tomoeda, Japan and Hong Kong, China are hardly close. The present was a handwritten note written from Syaoran, and a lovely hair ornament. Sakura could picture Syaoran's slightly Chinese-accented Japanese ringing in her ears.

_I'll come visit you with every opportunity I get. It's not like we're not going to be able to see each other again, right? Write letters to me, and I'll respond to each one. I hope you do well in school, and I hope you are well. Don't get into too much trouble, and be careful._

_Love,_

_Syaoran_

Sakura's heart quickened yet again when she read the last part. "Love, Syaoran." They were wonderful words. Sakura picked up the hair ornament and studied it. It was a piece of white jade, with intricate designs and patterns on it.

"Sakura! Are you alright? You spaced out a bit," Kero faced her worriedly. "Hm? What's what?"

"It's something… It's something Syaoran-kun sent me," Sakura said distractedly.

"That brat again? I thought he was back in Hong Kong," Kero said.

"He is. But he gave me this, remember? When he left three months ago? It's very pretty. I'm going to wear it today," Sakura put in the hair ornament and then smiled.

"At least he's got some sort of taste," Kero almost-commented. He was going to say something more, but seeing the look on her face made him stop.

Sakura nodded, and then looked at the clock and shrieked. "I'm going to be late!" She yanked her backpack off of her chair and shrugged into her jacket. Sakura ran downstairs and ran a fast "Ohayo!" and then sat down at her place at the table.

"Where's Dad?" Sakura asked, noticing the absence at the table.

Kinomoto Touya looked at his little sister and shrugged. "He's on a business trip. The students in his college are working on their first dig or something. What makes you so late this morning?"

Sakura grew red and her hand instinctively reached for the ornament in her hair. "N-nothing. I overslept, is all."

"Not occasionally…" Touya said.

"Oh Nee Chan-uh…!" Sakura looked at her brother angrily, and saw him set a plate of pancakes at her seat. Her face turned from an angry red to a normal shade. "What are you doing for work tonight?"

"You saw the whiteboard already? I would have thought you were so keen on getting here that it took you thirty minutes to come down the stairs, kaijuu," Touya smirked at his sister.

At this, Sakura bit her lip, trying to restrain the anger welling up in her chest. "I saw the whiteboard," was what Sakura managed to say.

"If you're wondering, I have a job as a receptionist tonight at college. Yuki is coming too."

"Yukito-san too? Tell him I said hi," Sakura smiled.

"Yeah, okay. If you don't eat now, you're going to be late," Touya said.

"What about you?" Sakura said.

"Because this kaijuu is so slow, I'd go first and be the only one on time…"

Sakura glared at her older brother and looked at the pancakes on her plate. She let out a strained "Itadakimasu," and then shoved bits of buttermilk pancakes in her mouth. After she was finished with that, Sakura changed into her rollerblades and disembarked.

Remembering the day, October 11, Sakura remembered it was her friend Yanagisawa Naoko's birthday. For a moment she panicked, afraid that she had forgotten to put Naoko's birthday gift into her backpack, then relaxed when she remembered double-checking the night before.

Sakura made it to school soon after that. While going in, she spotted Daidouji Tomoyo, Sakura's best friend. "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura rollerbladed toward Tomoyo and smiled.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo smiled and then her face grew tense, serious, and disappointed.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"Ano… It's just that, I don't have any more opportunity to make you any more costumes! And since _Li-Kun_ isn't here anymore…" Tomoyo emphasized the name, and added a dramatic pause for effect. "I can't even make shots of the two of you together anymore!"

Sakura found this very odd. But what was she to expect? Tomoyo was after all, a very weird person. But there was one thing Sakura knew for sure: bring the subject off of Syaoran. "Oh! Tomoyo-chan, what did you get Naoko-chan for her birthday?"

"I made her a batch of cookies in the shape of books. Chiharu-chan bought her a new eyeglasses case! It's really pretty. And Rika-chan got Naoko-chan a type of portfolio. I'm pretty sure it's the kind where you enter in information or something like that. It's the kind your dad has for entering weather, but it's less expensive, I think Rika-chan bought that sort of gift for Naoko-chan so she can keep track of what she has read," Tomoyo ended with a curt nod of her head. Tomoyo was a very pretty girl, though you could not compare her to Sakura because both girls were very different. Tomoyo had very long and beautiful raven-black hair, amethyst colored eyes, and very pale skin.

"Sugoi!" Sakura exclaimed. "What great presents!"

"Oh! Sakura-chan, what did you get Naoko-chan?"

"I bought her two new books. They're long, so I think it will take her long enough to finish them. They're about _magic._" Sakura realized the topic was getting dangerously close to talking about Syaoran again, so her voice trailed off.

Sakura and Tomoyo put their books away in their lockers and then the bell rang. "We're going to be late! Run, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed.

"Right! Let's go!" Sakura and Tomoyo picked up the speed to their Home Room.

"Ohayo-gozaimasu everyone!"

"Ohayho-gozaimasu sensei!"

Mr. Terada took role call. Sakura looked at the empty behind her and the empty seat behind Tomoyo's desk and sighed. First the desk behind her was always occupied by Syaoran. It was behind Tomoyo's that Meiling and then Eriol occupied in.

The bell rang for first period, so Sakura and Tomoyo took their birthday presents for Naoko and walked together to the Home Economics classroom.

"You all remember your tasks; we went over all of the instructions yesterday!"

The class smiled, as they were ready to work.

Sakura and Tomoyo took their booth and craned their heads around for a familiar group of three heads. "Look! They're over there!" Sakura and Tomoyo kept their purchases and handmade presents behind their backs and waved.

"Ohayo Sakura-Chan, Tomoyo-chan!" Chiharu and Rika welcomed them.

Naoko looked at the pair and waved; she was behind a small wall of brightly colored paper. "Happy birthday, Naoko-chan!" Tomoyo and Sakura said in chorus. Both of them held out their presents and smiled. "These are from us!"

The girl lifted her large spectacles further up her nose. "Domo arigatou! Thank you very much. These look really good, Tomoyo-chan. And those look very interesting. What great presents. Thank you!"

Sakura and Tomoyo exchanged glances and returned to their booths. "So you stir that way…" Sakura looked at the recipe book and stirred counterclockwise. "So that's how it's supposed to look!"

"Alright class, you should all be ready to put your pastries into baking. Get to lunch and eat; they should be ready when you're finished. Clean up!"

"Hai!"


	2. Syaoran and the Rickety Plane

Disclaimer:

Shes Bad Writer: Of course, I own Cardcaptor Sakura and Clamp looks up to me…

Arandom Guy: sarcasm… Not a very good disclaimer, considering you own squat.

Shes Bad Writer: I so own something. Look! My own grain of rice!

Arandom Guy: …good job.

_**Star – Gazers**_

_Go back to sleep,_ something in this head told him. After all, it was still very early. He didn't have training today. There were schools and lessons for him to attend to anyway, and Li Yelan had made it obvious that her son should concentrate a bit more on his schoolwork before jumping into rigorous training.

As if.

None of that was really important anyway. Sakura was a stronger person in both intellectual and magical power. Not that it mattered. He loved her, didn't he? It was true. Those were words he had spoken to her, and felt the most infinite relief saying, and it was even much more so when he didn't lose that feeling and lived long enough for her to say those words back. That was enough. That would strengthen him enough.

"I won't be able to go back to sleep," Syaoran finally said aloud. He turned from facing sideways in his bed to facing up at the ceiling. He wanted to stand up on his bed and blow out the candles on the brass candlesticks in his lamp. But no, Syaoran enjoyed the light. It reminded him of Sakura with its radiance and warmth. He blushed, remembering Sakura. He could picture her very vividly, no matter what his sisters said about forgetting about Sakura in the three months of cut communication.

"When should I get up?" Syaoran asked himself silently. He turned his head and craned his neck to the analog clock on the wall. Still too early. Syaoran didn't feel like waking up at 5:45 am. If he woke up this morning, he would have to make food for himself and his sisters. But each one had a different taste and were each very picky, so dropping out of that idea and the premonition of annoyance from his sisters were enough to keep him bed.

Something was pounding in his head. The sound bothered him, until he realized where the noise was coming from. Syaoran hadn't noticed. "Come in, Mother," he said finally.

"How did she know I was awake?" He whispered to himself.

"Hello, Xiaolang," Li Yelan said in brusque Cantonese. "I implore a favor from you."

"What is it?"

"Please take off from school and training for the rest of the year."

"What?" Syaoran demanded. Wasn't it his mother, after all, that complained to Wei about Syaoran's schoolwork dropping? "What do you mean?" Syaoran regained his politeness, though tensely.

"There is a disturbance. In Tomoeda, Japan."

"Kero-chan!" Sakura shrieked. "You ate all of my pastries!" Sakura faced her false-form guardian angrily, pouting.

"Arigatou Sakura-channn!" Kero smiled through his full lips.

"Some of those were for onii-chan and otou-san! And you ate them all!" Sakura looked as though she were ready to kill her guardian.

Kero smiled nervously, floating away from Sakura's outstretched hand. For safety measures, the Sakura Book on the table shuffled back with him. Kero used his own magic to let the book lean in toward him every time he moved back. Unfortunately, Kero had gotten the proportions for the book wrong and it clattered to the floor.

"What did you do that for?" Sakura muttered.

"It was… It was an accident," Kero brought up both of his paws, pleading innocence. "I'm sorry, _Mistress Sakura._" Kero added the emphasis for better effect, and it seemed as though Sakura bought it. "By the way, Sakura, are you ever thinking of removing that hairpiece?"

Instinctively, Sakura brought a hand up to the pretty ornament that was still in her hair, and then removed it slowly. After all, Syaoran had held it with his own hands, and Syaoran was the one that gave it to her. It was real jade, so ruining it or breaking it was simply out of the question, although Sakura kept it for its mental value than its clear value. She kept it in her hand, tracing the intricate designs, and noticed for the first time, a carving of a cherry blossom. "Syaoran-kun," Sakura found herself saying.

Kero, obviously confused, looked around. "I don't see the brat anywhere…" Kero muttered under his breath. Then he sighed of relief; at least the brat and his other Chinese Christmas ornament for hair cousin weren't here in Tomoeda. Kero wasn't completely heartless; he knew for a positive fact that Sakura reacted strongly to the pair of them, especially the Li kid.

"Sakura!" A voice was made loud enough from downstairs. It was Kinomoto Fujitaka, Sakura's father. "You can shower now!"

"Hai!" Sakura yelled back.

Sakura stood up quickly, but the sudden rush made her dizzy so she swayed for a second or two before regaining full control. She turned to the direction of her desk, eager to put the hair ornament away, but promptly dropped it. "Kuso…" She muttered, then a quick and brief, "Hoe!" when she heard it crash to the floor.

"Sakura, watch your language…" Kero said.

"I didn't mean to say it!" Sakura replied indignantly. She picked up the ornament, made sure it was still flawless, and put it back into her precious jewelry box.

Sakura walked over to her closet and took her towel off from a hanger and made her way downstairs. "Are you coming too, Kero-chan?"

"I think I'll stay up here and finish off the second pudding snack you convinced your brother to give me. He hasn't been the homeliest out of your family in keeping me here…" Kero's voice trailed off and looked fondly at the pudding snack on Sakura's nightstand.

"But he's fully aware of you and everything else that's happened, so it's going to be fine," Sakura said. "I'm going to shower. Ja, Kero-chan." Sakura brought up a friendly wave and bounded downstairs.

When Kero was fully certain that Sakura was gone, he fluttered over to his pudding snack and took a large bite. Something electrified and sparked in his brain. "What was that? Sakura?" No, that wasn't right. How could it be the Card Mistress? Having been with her for longer than two years, Kero was frankly, very able to feel her aura. Her aura was pink, was it not? Yes, Sakura's aura was pink and strong. There was something else though. This aura was different. Was it even an aura?

"Forget about it, Kero-chan! Eriol's in London and so is Suppi, so there's nothing to worry about. It's just you haven't been so alert lately!" Kero smiled to himself as he came to this conclusion and promptly shoved several more bites of pudding down his throat.

"Yeah, that's it," Kero said happily. "No worries. Everything's just fine."

Li Syaoran was motion sick. Motion sick! Nonsense; he'd been coming and going through Japan and China for too many times to feel any hint of motion sickness.

What other factor was there?

Syaoran felt the dizzy light-headedness that followed, and immediately sank into his economy class plane seat. It had to be the prospect of seeing Sakura again that made him like this. It was like Sakura was a virus. But wasn't she? She spread from person to person making them happy, making them smile. Her smile really was contagious.

Or maybe Sakura was like a drug. She was something Syaoran couldn't have enough of. There were limits, yes, but to what limit would Syaoran go to have Sakura? He would go very far. But he needn't, he had her already. Maybe Sakura's smile could be described as 'addicting,' Yes, that was it. How many times had Syaoran agonized over her smile? Wanting her to smile at him in love, not only in kindness.

Maybe going to Japan wasn't a good thing at all. Syaoran had taken a drug, though it was perfectly legal, and very good for a person. He needed more of her, and the necessity of telling her how he felt was great, though what was Syaoran compared to Tsukishiro Yukito? Tomoyo pushed him on, and Syaoran was grateful. At last Syaoran said it, at the worst moment, but possibly the only opportunity. And then there came to the "Watch over Meiling while she's in Tomoeda," scandal that his friends and family played up.

Still, Syaoran felt grateful. He sat straighter in his uncomfortable seat and undid the seatbelt several notches. He looked over at his all-night bag, and saw a very old and distinct ornament dangle from behind his shirt to the front of him. It was Syaoran's sword, and he was very fond of it. He rummaged through the bag quietly. No one else was in his aisle; he felt very free to use the space given in the single extra seat. Anything to clear the headache was alright with him. He found a battered Japanese-Cantonese dictionary and threw it aside in his bag. His eyes rested on the scarf Sakura had given him and he smiled and pressed it against his face.

"You now have four hours left on your trip to West Shinjuku, Japan. Thank you for traveling with Eva Airlines," said a scratchy male voice.

Syaoran sighed. He had forgotten that the urgency of the "return to Tomoeda" deal had cost him a seat on a plane to Tokyo. He would bullet train the rest of the way to Tokyo, and then he would take a bus or cab with him to the Li Clan's Tomoeda apartment.

Syaoran's ears grew red. In the three months separating them, Syaoran realized that there had been no contact. Maybe Sakura had been expecting Syaoran to send the first letter, or maybe… No. Syaoran shook his head, and then quickly relented to that when he felt the banging pain thud in his head. Again, Syaoran found the scarf some consolation. It instantly calmed his nerves about going back and Syaoran relaxed into it.

Syaoran was woken up by one of the stewards after two hours. "Are you the Hong Kong boy that was traveling alone?" he said in Japanese.

It took a moment for Syaoran to comprehend what the aging steward had said. His response in his mind came out in a garbled Japanese and Cantonese, so Syaoran just nodded.

"You are a bit young to be traveling on your own, ne?"

Syaoran shook his head replying quite brusquely, "No. I'm quite capable of taking care of myself."

The steward eyed the scarf that Syaoran had spread around himself unconsciously during his nap. "What is that?"

Syaoran was quite startled at the reply. "It's… it's something a friend gave me," Syaoran's face turned bright red and then shook his head, which did not resound in waves of pain like it had before.

"I don't think it's something you would like to lose, so I suggest you put it away," the steward's kind eyes lit up his features, and then handed Syaoran a small package. "I hope you enjoy the scarf more than you enjoy this food."

Syaoran couldn't deny that the steward was right. The airplane food looked disgusting. "Sir," Syaoran began, "May I have Ramen noodles instead?" Syaoran passed the sweltering package back and in his hand was a replaced cup of Ramen Noodles.

Syaoran chewed silently and ran a checklist through his head. He had already contacted the Tomoeda district that he'd start school again after abruptly leaving after fifth grade. Three or four months into sixth grade would probably not be much of a difference, although Syaoran knew he would have to face his classmates and Sakura eventually. That much was fine; couldn't he just say that Mother wished for him to continue studying in Japan as Syaoran "clearly missed it"?

Syaoran mused to himself and drank several cupfuls of juice. Now that he thought of it… Wasn't it morning already? Syaoran lifted the screen and immediately shut it again. He rubbed his eyes momentarily, forgetting that the dim lights of the plane were nothing compared to the brightness outside. He then opened the screen again, though slower and more concise. There was only white, so Syaoran guessed they were flying through a cloud.

Then, the intercoms went off. First in English: "We're experiencing some turbulence and we ask everyone to go back to their cabins and fasten their seatbelts." Then in Mandarin: "Wuo men qing da jia hua qi ta de wei zhi, dai sang an chuan dai." The procession came through to four languages: English, Mandarin-Chinese, Cantonese-Chinese, and finally, Japanese. The speakers of all four looked confused after returning to their seats.

"Nani?" Syaoran yelled. The plane was rocking back and forth in quick motions! Syaoran was shifted from his seat to the empty seat beside him. Syaoran fell on the seat besides his' armrest on his shoulder, hard. He groaned and sat up again. His ears, which had already adjusted to the altitude popped. Syaoran then felt a sense of dread creep up in him: there was no oxygen he was breathing.

Gasping, Syaoran felt the dangers of asphyxiation dawn at him at last. Beads of sweat poured down his face. Masks popped from the roof of the plane to sitting level. Relieved, Syaoran put the cone on his face and breathed in rich, sweet oxygen. The plane was calming down, so Syaoran relaxed also. He folded Sakura's scarf neatly and then looked out the window. It wasn't possible! Syaoran blinked twice, so the image of a very large girl disappeared from his memory.

The pilot's shaky voice came on in the intercom, first in English. "Sorry folks; we didn't expect that to be that bad. The good news is that we were not thrown off course. We should be arriving to Shinjuku in half an hour. Keep your seatbelts on; we're beginning to land."


	3. Sakura and the Visitor

Disclaimer:

Shes Bad Writer: Of course, I own Cardcaptor Sakura and Clamp looks up to me…

Arandom Guy: sarcasm… Not a very good disclaimer, considering you own squat.

Shes Bad Writer: I so own something. Look! My own grain of rice!

Arandom Guy: …good job.

_**Star – Gazers**_

Daidouji Tomoyo was brushing her long, cascading, raven-black hair, while watching an old video of a card capture, of "The Libra" card. "Oh," she said aloud, "if only Hiiragizawa-kun hadn't put me to sleep, I would have been able to film Li-kun confess his feeling for Sakura-chan…"

Tomoyo's amethyst eyes then grew soft. "Eriol-kun might have done it for a reason, though. Maybe he didn't want a record of Li-kun saying those words to Sakura-chan. Eriol-kun is so kind!"

"Oi!" came Syaoran's voice from the widescreen television of Tomoyo's. "Hurry up and seal it!"

"Hai!" Sakura brought her old wand down. "Return to your true form, Clow Card!"

Syaoran ran towards Sakura, and the card floated toward her. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am, but are you?"

Syaoran turned red before adding, "Yes, I'm fine."

The screen suddenly frosted over with static, and Tomoyo smiled. "Li-kun is such a warm-hearted person," she contemplated to herself.

Her cell phone rang as soon as she finished. "I wonder who that is?" She picked up her cell phone and answered. "Moshi-moshi, Daidouji Tomoyo…"

"Daidouji!" Came a familiar voice. Speak of the devil…

Tomoyo gripped her phone. "Li-kun?"

"Yes," came the breathless voice from the other side. "I was just on an airplane here," Syaoran paused, while Tomoyo smirked to herself. "But the plane went haywire, or something. I need a place to stay, because they won't let me have my apartment back yet…"

"Of course!" Tomoyo replied.

"Thank you. I was at West Shinjuku Airport," replied Syaoran graciously.

"Why Shinjuku?" Tomoyo replied.

Syaoran sighed audibly from the other side of the phone. "It's because of my mother. She said my Li Clan business was being taken care of, and that I needed to return to Tomoeda. She says there was some sort of disturbance. But there were no flights left to Tokyo, so I had to take the next one to Shinjuku. I'm at Tokyo right now. I took the bullet train, so right now I'm sitting in the Tokyo Nagaina Airport."

"I'm sure Sakura-chan will be very pleased!" Tomoyo said boldly. "I'll send one of my bodyguards to pick you up. You will be attending Tomoeda Private Elementary School again, right?"

"Yes, but I don't be going tomorrow," Syaoran replied.

Tomoyo nodded to herself, as it made sense. Tomorrow was Friday, and it would not make sense for Syaoran to go to school on Saturday and rest for a day on Sunday. "Stay at your gate; my bodyguards will find you, alright, Li-kun?"

"Thank you very much. Please, do not tell Sakura."

"Why not?" Tomoyo was puzzled.

"I want to… surprise her."

Tomoyo smiled. "I have the perfect way, Li-kun."

"HOE!"

Large crashing sounds were heard from the upper floors of the Kinomoto household. The screams mixed in with the crashes were very audible, and outside gave an eerie optical illusion that house was about to fall down.

Finally, Sakura bounded downstairs, and took her place at her table, panting. Her father set a neatly packed bento box beside her, and smiled. "Ohayo, Sakura-san."

"Ohayo 'tou-san!" Sakura smiled then looked around. "Where's onii-chan?"

"Touya-san had sports practice, remember? Have you checked up at the whiteboard lately?" Fujitaka's kind face then looked inquiring.

Remembering the day before yesterday, Sakura remembered being heavily teased by her brother, and then turned bright red. "Hai, I have been checking up on the whiteboard."

"That's good then. Eat up, because you only have a little time left before you have to go."

Sakura nodded, clapping her hands together and saying the traditional "Itadakimasu," and then ate the nicely made square-cut sandwich bites that lay before her. "These are really good!" she complimented.

"Arigatou, Sakura-san," Fujitaka said with a smile. He then went off to the kitchen again to pack his own bento box.

The phone rang simultaneously with Sakura's last bite. She stood up quickly, as she was going to go to school then anyway. "You finish up in the kitchen, I'll go get it. I have to leave anyhow."

Fujitaka smiled and turned away from his daughter and back to packing his food.

"Moshi-moshi, Kinomoto-residence," Sakura said after snatching the ringing phone off its hook.

"Sakura-chan!" came Tomoyo's high and girlishly sweet voice.

"Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura inquired. Why would Tomoyo call now? There wasn't any need.

"Sakura-chan! You know there is a school function coming up in a month, right?"

Sakura nodded; she recalled. "Yes, I do remember."

"Can you come to my house today for dinner so I can model your outfit? You can even come directly after school!" Tomoyo sounded excited.

"Alright, I'll ask," Sakura sighed. Tomoyo was definitely odd. "I'll see you at school, Tomoyo-chan."

Sakura hung up the phone and wandered back to her kitchen. "Otou-san…" She began.

"You still haven't left?" Fujitaka asked.

"It was Tomoyo-chan on the phone. She was wondering if I could stay at her house today for dinner," Sakura said.

"It is fine with me, Sakura-san," Fujitaka smiled and Sakura grinned.

"Arigatou!"

Sakura changed into her rollerblades and very quickly sprinted (bladed?) to school. As soon as she made it, Sakura changed her shoes and ran as fast as she could to her classroom. "Ohayo!"

"Good job, Sakura-chan," said the voice of Chiharu. "You made it on record time! The sensei isn't here yet."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief and took her hat off. "Thank goodness!" Sakura looked around for Tomoyo, and saw her at the door. "Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura said questioningly. She then remembered their late-ish phone call in the morning, and realized it had made Tomoyo late too.

"For once Tomoyo-chan is here later than Sakura-chan," laughed Rika.

"We were on the phone this morning, which is why we were late, ne, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo turned to her best friend and smiled.

"Hai!"

Tomoyo sat down as the teacher came in to take role. She was urgent for Sakura to finally be able to see Li-kun. After what seemed to be days, the bell rang for lunch.

"Would you like to sit with us, Tomoyo-chan?" Rika asked her friend, as the group was outside.

"Hai! That would be great. Are you coming, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo pulled Sakura's hand towards the trees. "It's one of the last days we can eat out until the weather gets cold."

Sakura nodded, and took her neatly packed bento box and followed Tomoyo. Lunch was a noisy affair. Rika was making another teddy bear.

"Wow, Rika-chan! This one looks even better than the other!" Sakura exclaimed.

Faking a hurt look, Rika responded, "Are you saying that my other teddy bear was bad, Sakura-chan?"

Realizing the error, Sakura quickly put on a nervous smile. "I-iie! Of course not! Your teddy bears are a lot better than what I can ever sew together!"

Naoko, Rika, Chiharu, and Tomoyo laughed.

"What's so funny?"

The afternoon classes had passed quickly. It was around 4:30 pm when Tomoyo and Sakura left. "Come on, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo ushered Sakura into their stretch limo.

"…hoe." Sakura sighed, but brightened as Tomoyo's large mansion came into view.

The big card stopped, and a maid opened a door for Tomoyo and Sakura. "Your room is prepared, Miss Daidouji," she said.

"Arigatou!" Tomoyo replied. "Oh, Sakura, go into my room first. I'll bring up some cake for you to eat now and for you to take up to Kero-chan later. What kind do you want? Never mind, I'll just give you the same kind I'm getting…"

Tomoyo winked and sauntered away before Sakura could stop her. "…Tomoyo-chan!"

But it was too late, Tomoyo had already gone. Sighing, Sakura clambered up the long spiraling staircases to Tomoyo's room. She opened the door to it and saw a teapot, and three saucers on the spacious coffee table in the spacious room.

There was a hand on that teapot. That hand was connected to…

"SYAORAN-KUN?" Sakura yelled in surprise.

The amber-eyed Chinese boy blushed and tipped over one of the teacups, but luckily there was nothing in it. He was lounging on Tomoyo's almost derelict sofa, but then straightened, embarrassed. Sakura stared at him in astonishment, then ran over, dropped her bag, and wrapped him in a hug.

Syaoran was surprised at the directness of her action but then responded and hugged her back. "Sakura," he said softly. He felt comfort at holding her again.

"When did you get back?" Sakura demanded, releasing Syaoran and sitting down next to him.

"Just yesterday," Syaoran said slowly.

"Why didn't you call me, or at least tell me?" Sakura asked, slightly crestfallen, but too elated to be angry at him.

"I wanted to surprise you. I purposely asked Daidouji not to tell you," Syaoran replied.

"Did you finish your business in Hong Kong?" Sakura inquired.

"No, that was cut short…" Syaoran paused, looking at the puzzled expression on Sakura's very content face. "My mother sent me back, if only for a year or two."

Again, Sakura looked crestfallen. "You won't be staying?"

"I should be able to, if I could go back for maybe a couple of more months after I'm done here."

"So why did you come back?"

"Mother says there is a disturbance. An aura is back here. Have you felt anything?" Syaoran asked.

"No I haven't…" Sakura looked contemplative. "Oh yes! I had a dream. I was on the Tokyo Tower and so were…" She paused, trying to recall. As soon as she'd waken up that day, there had been no recollection or memory of the dream. "So were you!"

"Gomen-nasai, Sakura-chan, for taking so long…" Tomoyo arrived with a matching pot of tea like the one on the table and three slices of cake. She spotted Sakura and Syaoran, and smiled.

"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura looked hurt. "Why didn't you tell me Syaoran-kun was back?"

"I think he'd find it better if he told you himself, ne, Li-Kun?" Tomoyo smiled at Syaoran.

"Yeah."

"I missed you, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said.

Syaoran looked up, and gave her a rare smile. "So…so did I."

"Ne, Li-kun, tell her about what happened on the plane!" Tomoyo smiled at them again, beaming, and then was busily preparing the cake. "Li-kun, what kind of cake would you like?"

"Chocolate… if you don't mind, Daidouji."

"None at all, Li-kun! Sakura-chan, I got you a strawberry shortcake slice. Is that alright with you?" Tomoyo faced her friend, pointing at the slice of cake.

"Hai, it is fine."

"Go on with your story, Li-kun," Tomoyo said as she saw that Syaoran had fallen silent.

Syaoran looked at Sakura and she nodded. "There was something corrupt with the plane. We thought we would crash. They said there was turbulence…. But I don't think that was it."

"Don't think it was it? What do you mean, Syaoran-kun?"

"The air was cut off…" Sakura's eyes grew wide. "And I honestly thought I was going to die."

Sakura gripped his hand, and looked into his solemn amber eyes. "And then…" Sakura cringed.

"I swear I saw a massive girl. Come to think of it, Daidouji, she looked sort of like you, except with longer, darker hair and features," Syaoran concluded, looking at Tomoyo.

"Oh!" Sakura exclaimed. "In my dream, there was also a girl in it… She was holding a staff, with a moon ornament at the end…"

"A moon ornament?" Syaoran asked.

"Yes, it was a moon ornament," Sakura said, closing her eyes for a better picture.

"My mother also told me…" Syaoran began. "That there used to be, way in ancient times, where the most powerful sorcerers reigned… There were three most powerful. One was the moon, the sun, and the last was the star."

"That's just like with Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo piped up, finally joining the conversation. "Kero-chan is the sun, Yue-san is the moon, and Sakura-chan herself is the star! So the three most powerful are them?"

"You're forgetting what I'm saying." Syaoran sighed deeply. "The three most powerful sorcerers. There is that baka Eriol, Sakura, and…"

"Wouldn't the last be you, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked.

"No. This is back then with Clow. My powers aren't based off of him. Mine are different. I am leader of the Li Clan, and I'm not worthy of being the most powerful," Syaoran shook his head, and then continued. "The moon was the weakest of all three. The moon needed fuel off of someone, and you remember Yue as a perfect example."

Sakura flushed. "So that means the Moon had to draw energy from someone?" Sakura was hit with the surging memory of Yue drawing his energy from her brother, who had fallen asleep in a heap on the floor.

"Yes," Syaoran said.

"But from who? It must be the sun, because the regular moon reflects light off of the sun in order to shine…" Sakura mused.

"No. No, none of those answers are right!" Syaoran snapped. Sakura jumped back, fearing Syaoran was annoyed with her.

"Moon would take energy from living magicians, including Star and Sun, and anyone else Moon could find. There was a point that Moon was drawing energy from people with no magic at all, and caused them to be sort of… dead. The dead could be restored, if their life force was restored and the chain linking that person with Moon was broken."

Tomoyo gave a small gasp, and had been listening to intently that she had forgotten about the cake.

"At one point… At one point, everyone was dead. Mother fears it might happen again here. Unless someone can stop it."


	4. Syaoran, Sakura, and the Mysterious Girl

Disclaimer:

Aestivate: Hi. I was bored and wanted a new disclaimer.

Gladwyn: But you're stupid and unintelligent to think of one.

Aestivate: YOUR MOM IS STUPID AND UNINTELLIGENT.

Gladwyn: …just say you don't anything and be done with it.

Aestivate: You're at a loss for words, and you know it.

Gladwyn: Bite me.

_**Star – Gazers**_

A dead silence fell over the group of three. Sakura looked ready to vomit, but regained her regular color when she asked, "Are you sure Moon is here? Are you sure Moon is back again?" There was some hope. What if Moon was just not here and the disturbance and dream of Sakura's were just coincidence?

_There is no such thing as coincidence._

Syaoran nodded, conforming what each of them was worrying about. "Yeah. Think about it, Sakura. There has been a lot of magical activity around here. Baka Eriol and you are both Sun and Star. Both of you probably drew the attention of moon. Maybe even her power was awaken with so much magical activity. Especially… since the summer."

Sakura recalled the summertime with little difficulty. There was a lot of magical activity in the summer, and she wasn't talking just about the sparks that had finally been seen between her and Syaoran. They, of course, were realistic and mature about their relationship, and that could definitely be proven by the closeness and formality of their togetherness. But definitely, plenty of magic had been used in the summer. Sakura remembered the dead realization that everyone around her disappeared and she was the only person left in all of Tomoeda.

Tomoyo resumed cutting the cake, and the chocolate slice melted slightly in the sweltering temperature of the tension and Tomoyo's room. Syaoran, Sakura, and Tomoyo were quiet again, feeling quite uncomfortable with the information on the new enemy.

"Will all of us die, Li-kun?" Tomoyo asked. Sakura wished her friend hadn't said it out loud; saying it meant it was so final. It made Sakura shiver, despite the warmth Tomoyo's got from the glass doors that let the sun in.

Syaoran faced Sakura, and saw the terror on her face. "I don't know," he said finally. "But I do know one thing. You can break a link to a death. First Moon must absorb a person's life force, and you can stop the process if Moon is distracted, or the person is moved from her gaze."

"Moved?" Sakura blinked, looking back into Syaoran's solemn eyes.

"You can resume the absorption by looking directly into the person you are absorbing's eyes, and then it would be complete. But if you move the person, you may break the connection. However, you cannot restore the life already taken," Syaoran answered.

"What happens to a person after the connection is broken and some life is taken away?" Tomoyo asked, frightened.

"They will probably be different. I don't know. When Mother and I were discussing this, she said that a person might feel weak and light-headed and sick, if only a small portion of their life force is taken. If a lot of it is taken, and a small bit remains in a person, the person might become very sick, but a doctor or any drugs taken will not help, unless the life force is returned."

"How does one do that?" Sakura demanded.

"Mother suggests that using another magic force, like say a Sakura Card, may be used against Moon's staff. It should release the most recent absorbed life force," Syaoran nodded defiantly at Sakura.

"So we have a new enemy? This one more dangerous than ever?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, but doesn't it bring room for opportunity!" exclaimed Tomoyo brightly. "New costumes, more chances for me to film… The ability of taking more pictures of Sakura-chan and Li-kun… How wonderful!" Tomoyo's eyes sparkled as she clasped her hands together.

"You can't!" Sakura said indignantly, after composing herself from Tomoyo's comment. "What if you get hurt…?"

"Don't worry about me, Sakura-chan. I assure you I'll be absolutely fine!"

Sakura sighed. She knew that she back Tomoyo out on anything. She jumped, as she felt a vibration and ring come through from her bag. "Hoe!" She yelled. "Oh," she said, after Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at her alarmed. "It's my cell phone." She pressed the TALK button, and pressed her ear against it. "Moshi-moshi, Sakura here."

"Sakura-san," came a familiar voice.

Sakura gripped her phone. "Eriol-kun!" She said in amazement. Sakura stood up from Tomoyo's dilapidated couch in haste.

"Sakura-san. Has anything odd happened lately? Sick people, mysterious death stories?" Eriol asked, getting straight to the point.

"No, there hasn't… But Syaoran-kun has just told Tomoyo-chan and me about what's going to happen in the future. Is it true, Eriol? People are going to die?"

"It is very true. My memories have just come back slightly, and I've learned that there wasn't just Clow, but he was the strongest of the three. Sakura, if you release all of the completely absorbed life forces while a person is say, buried after a mysterious death, or burned, their life force will be returned. A person may suffocate to death, right after coming alive again. You must be able to stop the absorption right at the root."

Sakura gave a very audible gasp. Syaoran and Tomoyo looked at her in concern. "Let me talk to him!" Syaoran demanded.

Sakura nodded, unable to stomach the new wave of information. She fell back onto the couch saying into the phone, "Eriol-kun, Syaoran-kun would like to speak with you."

Eriol gave a very sad laugh. "Put my cute descendant on the phone."

Sakura handed the phone to Syaoran, who immediately said, "What have you said and done, you stupid baka! Why didn't you warn this about us first!" Syaoran listened intently, with his eyes flashing, creating the interesting illusion that Syaoran, where his eyes were, were on fire. "…Onore. You GAKI." Syaoran said, remembering the term Sakura's brother always used against him.

Sakura's eyes flashed angrily at him. "Be nice, Syaoran-kun!"

Syaoran appeared to not be listening. And then irritably hit the END button on the phone. "That… baka…" He spat.

"What did he say to you?" Sakura asked.

"He said he told me the same things as he did you."

"Then why were you on the phone for so long?" Surely, Sakura's and Eriol's conversation wasn't that long.

"…He was calling me his cute little descendant." Syaoran's face flushed embarrassedly.

Tomoyo clapped her hands together after seeing the troubled looks on both of their faces. "Let's not let this worry us too much. Let's eat the cake before it gets stale, ne Sakura-chan? Li-kun, your chocolate slice seems to have melted… Would you prefer a mocha slice?" Tomoyo returned to the cake, and added a smile for good measure.

Sakura and Syaoran nodded, and then took the plates and forks Tomoyo handed them. Tomoyo had also brought a new tea kettle, so the one that Syaoran was pouring when Sakura came in was set aside. The cup Syaoran also tipped over was put upright, and the three drank tea and ate cake.

"Sakura-chan, here's a slice you can bring home for Kero-chan," Tomoyo pointed to a nearly perfect slice of strawberry shortcake, and Sakura saw that it was noticeably bigger than the slices in the small assortment Tomoyo had brought up.

Tomoyo, however, noticed that Sakura and Syaoran were not looking at each other; they were both frowning into their cups of tea, only nibbling the edges of their cake slices.

Suddenly they heard a scream.

"What was that?" Sakura asked, looking up from her tea cup.

"I don't know," Syaoran said. "Let's go find out."

Sakura and Tomoyo nodded. They stood up and ran out of Tomoyo's very spacious room, and found pandemonium outside of it. Maids and servants were running around frantically.

"Sir!" Tomoyo yelled, getting the attention of an elderly butler. "What happened here?"

"There was a little girl, Daidouji-sama! One of the maids asked her what she was doing in the pantry, as she thought she was you. The girl seemed to… glow, I guess, and then the maid was unconscious. I don't know the full story!" The butler was in distress and looked as though he were about to collapse or have a heart attack.

Sakura looked at Syaoran and nodded and they looked at Tomoyo. Tomoyo nodded as well saying, "I'll go get my camera."

Sakura dug for the key around her neck. "Key that uses the power stars, reveal your true form to me! I, Sakura, command you under our contract! Release!" Sakura also fished for the card. "Sleep!"

The maids and butlers around Sakura and Syaoran fell asleep in an instant, in choruses of "…I'm feeling kind of… sleepy…"

Syaoran also reached for the pendant hanging around his neck, and it instantly transformed into the gleaming sword.

"I shouldn't have put everybody asleep!" Sakura regretted. "How are we supposed to find the woman in time?"

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo appeared suddenly, with two costumes in one arm and her camera in the other. She also pointed towards another door. "In here!"

Sakura and Syaoran ran into the door that Tomoyo was pointing in and a girl was floating next to them. The realization hit Sakura with a pang. "The girl in my dream! Moon!"

The girl was wearing a long, almost weightless dress. It was true about the staff. It had a gleaming, glowing crescent ornament at the top. Her features were very visible, and it was clear that she was the same age as Sakura and Syaoran, although her long, flowing dress looked rotten, like the clothes of the dead. There was something definitely strange.

Sakura clutched her staff. Syaoran tensed beside her, and looked at her with terror in his face. "You can't hurt a little girl!"

"But… Syaoran-kun!"

Then Sakura knew what she should do. "Return!" She yelled. "Return the opposing staff to what it used to be!"

Syaoran looked at her tensely. What if… What if it wouldn't work? Sakura would only have one shot. But thankfully, it seemed to be working. The Return card swirled against the staff and ectoplasm came pouring out in a foggy, sultry liquid. The liquid returned to the eagle-spread body beside the floating girl, which had been invisible to Syaoran and Sakura until the ghostly substance came to it.

The girl, before Syaoran or Sakura could face it, disappeared without any warning.

"Wonderful shot!" Tomoyo cried, leaping into the room. "Sakura-chan, you looked so _brave._ I'm going to edit the film right now!"

Tomoyo smiled at her new prize and jumped out of the room, accidentally blowing the door shut. The body was beginning to stir, and the color was being to return to the maid's face. She was still unconscious, so Sakura and Syaoran could talk freely.

"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked, as he saw Sakura sink to the floor wearily. His face looked stricken, but he sighed in relief. He nodded to her, satisfied that she was alright; just a bit tired. "You did well out there, Sakura. I didn't think the Return card would be any use. I thought maybe a more aggressive card… But you did well," Syaoran said. He smiled, but then frowned as he saw the pale look on Sakura's face.

"That was so scary, Syaoran-kun. I've never seen a dead body before." Sakura looked nauseated, and tears sprang to her eyes. "It was terrible…"

She was cut off as Syaoran silenced her. It bothered him, too. Instead of saying anything, he sat down next to her and swept her into his arms. Sakura was startled at his openness and suddenness, but then returned the hug. She realized Syaoran needed it just as much as she did. They embraced for a while, and then broke apart at the same time.

There was another scream, and Sakura and Syaoran stood up quickly? "What now?" Syaoran asked, releasing his sword again, having retracting it only moments before.

The sounds were coming from upstairs, from Tomoyo's room. "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura yelled. Several of the maids and servants around the pair were beginning to wake up.

They burst into Tomoyo's room. She wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Syaoran looked around cautiously.

What were her words before leaving? "Edit the tape," were they?

"Ah!" Sakura said. She opened the door of the darkroom and saw Tomoyo's frightened face. Relieved, Sakura wrapped her arms around her best friend. "Are you alright? We heard you screaming."

"I'm fine but… The tape…" Tomoyo pointedfearfully to the fuzzy screen. Sakura turned to it, retracted her staff, and rewound the tape, and played it.

The first sight was Sakura releasing the key of the stars, and then Syaoran calling out commands, and then Sakura and the Return card. There was a staff, yes, but where was the girl? There was _nothing_ there. There was only a very long wand, and a crescent at the top.

Sakura felt her knees weaken. Impossible! How could there be nothing there? A ghost? That's what Sakura and Syaoran were fighting?

A ghost?

Someone already dead, was feeding off of the life of another living thing?

A ghost?

Sakura's knees buckled as and she hit the ground, mesmerized by what she had seen. Tears trickled down her cheeks and Syaoran enveloped her in his arms.

"Syaoran-kun…" Sakura sobbed into his ear. "I'm very scared now."


End file.
